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Extinction Rebellion to 'swarm' Square Mile before ending protests

Extinction Rebellion protesters in Westminster hold up letters they have written to their MPs asking for action on climate issues. Credit: PA

Climate change activists plan to cause rush hour disruption in London's financial district before they bring an end to days of protests in the centre of the city.

Demonstrators said they will swarm into the Square Mile to cause roadblocks, targeting big business and banking.

The Extinction Rebellion (XR) group said its action in the City of London on Thursday is likely to last a few hours, and comes on the day it is due to end blockades at Parliament Square and Marble Arch.

A spokeswoman for the group said: "There's a public event which is what we are calling swarming, where at different locations in the City people will swarm into the roads and block the roads."

A small group of Extinction Rebellion protesters in Parliament Square in Westminster. Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA

She said the area is being targeted because "the financial industry is responsible for funding climate and ecological destruction and we are calling on them, the companies and the institutions that allow this to happen, to tell the truth."

She added: "And we're asking the Government to take action to address the climate emergency."

Eco-protesters have been urging the Government to declare a climate emergency to avoid what it calls the "sixth mass extinction" of species on Earth.